West Champaran: Preliminary Offence Report Registered for Manhandling and Abusing a Marsh Crocodile in Bettiah, Following PETA India Complaint

For Immediate Release:

23 December 2025

Contact:

Meet Ashar; [email protected]

Anushka Yadav; [email protected]

West Champaran – Acting on a video depicting the manhandling and abuse of a marsh crocodile, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) collaborated with the Bettiah Forest Division of Bihar Forest Department to ensure that a preliminary offence report (POR) was registered.

Based on the video evidence, the POR was registered against the accused under Sections 39, 43, 48 and 49 of the WPA, 1972. The offence is non-bailable and punishable with a jail term of at least three years, which may extend to seven years, and a fine of at least ₹25,000.

The video is available upon request.

The incident reportedly occurred during Diwali in Bettiah, West Champaran district of Bihar. A disturbing video reveals a horrific incident in which a crocodile is tied with a rope to a bike and dragged by the accused in full view of the public, while the crowd cheers and applauds, causing tremendous pain and trauma to the crocodile.

PETA India is urging the Bettiah Forest Division to take immediate and appropriate steps to identify and apprehend those responsible for the blatant and heinous cruelty towards wildlife. The crocodile has been rescued and successfully released back into the natural habitat by the Bettiah Forest Division.

“We commend Shri Pankaj Kumar, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Bettiah Division, for registering the POR and sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated,” says Ishani Rathee, Cruelty Response Coordinator at PETA India. “We urge community members never to resort to violence in dealing with wildlife and to recruit the help of the forest department instead.”

PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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